Liquid-testing device



Nov. 4, L M MAYHALLET AL LIQUID TESTING DEVICE Filed Oct. 4, 1926 IN VEN TOR T. Q Q BY Hon/Mo Mae/50N pg. LMM/ ft2/ 4. a, ATTORNEYS.'

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Patented Nov. 4, 1930*.

Vlwrr.Nr` OFFICE JOHN M. MYHLL .AND HOWARD (I. MORRISON, OF MILWAUKEE, vWISCONSIN mourn-TESTING :inv-.ICE

Application led October 4, 1926. Serial No. 139,373.

. The device has been designed specifically for the purpose of making certain desirable tests in connection with tank cars, with a view to the ascertainment of the condition of 5 the contents thereof, but is 'capable of like use in other relations. In tank cars containing certain gradesxof oils or their derivatives, variations in quality are found to exist,

such variations being --due to many causes.

The present invention resides in a simply constructed, eilicient device, which may readily be insertedthrough the man-hole of a tank car, and an accurate indication made thereon of the several conditions existing in 15 the contentsof the tank. From these several indication/s, the true value of the contents may be determined.

The 1nvent1on comprises a construction em-v bodying a staffor immersion in the contents of the tank, such staff carrying a plurality of detachable receptacles of. small capacit which by submersion may be filled wit samples of the oil or other substance inthe tank, taken at different levels from the bulk,

so as t'ofpermit ascertainment of any variations in the quality thereof. The detachable feature of. the thiefs, permits `their quick.

replacement by other receptacles, so that the f device may be made serviceable in testing the contents of a very large number of tanks with a minimum expenditure of time.

Each such receptacle isprovided upon its inside with a thermometer, which after the immersion has been made, will indicate'the 35 'temperatures ofthe contents of the tank existing at the levels from which the samples are drawn.

The device is further provided with an ullage indicator, which accurately indicates was filledand the. making of the test.

Still further, the device is provided with a `Ameans for ascertaining the quantity, ifvan The vnovel features of the invention will forth in the' appended claims.

Inl the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a view in elevation ofour whatever shrinkage or loss ofbulk may have taken place between'the time that the tank of `water underlying the contents of the tan testing device, showing the same as positioned'within an oil tank for the purpose of securing samples and ascertaining the temperature of the contents at diierent levels, the ullage loss, and the presence of water, if any, at thebottom of the tank.

Fig. 2 is a plan view, enlarged, of one of the supports or caps for the receptacles, showing its relation to the stai, and the arrangement of the inlet valve.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view in elevation,`

partly in section on the line 3-3, Fig. 2,

showinga convenient manner of supporting the receptacle o n the staff, and the'construction of the inlet valve.

Fig.' 4 is a view in elevation of the ullage' A indicator.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the lower end thereof, showing the construction .of the inlet valve. l

Fig. 6 is aview in elevation of a device applied at the lower end of the staff 4of the testing device, to determine the quantity of water at the bottom of the tank. In the drawing, the numeral 10 indicates the shell of a tank car vor other container adapted to the transportation or storage of oil or its derivatives,the' said tank being provided with an usual inlet or man-hole l1.

lThe numeral 12 indicates a stai, .prefer- ',ably constituted as a light metal tube, of suitable length to enable it `when inserted in the tank to rest upon the bottoml thereof and. extend vsome distance above the top thereof. Supports 13 of the outlinev shown in Fig. 2, are bored for the reception of the vstaff 12, onwhich a plurality of such supports may be adjusted in spaced relation by meansof set screws 14, the points of which ass laterally through the supports -13 and ear upon the staff' 12. In the 'construction illustrated, we have shown three of such supports, spaced about equal distances apart. At its underside, the support is formed with a large threaded recess into which may be screwed the neck of a wide mouth bottlefor receptacle 15, a seal being effected between the rimo-f the bottle mouth 4'and the bottom of the recess in the support 1 3, `by means of a gasket 16.l

in the support 13, and leading to the reccp.

tacle 15. Above the plug 17 the opening in the support is threaded for the reception ofl the lower end of a cap 21, which contines an expansion spring 22 and causes the plug 17 to remain in its seat. 4

The several valves 17 carried by the staff 12 are aligned, and each is provided with a central opening for the reception of a valve rod 23, so connected to the several plugs that all may be operated to open or close the several inlets by a partial rotation of the valve rod. A convenient manner of effecting the connection between the several valves and the valve rod 'will' be to form the rod as a polygon in cross section and correspond- K accurately upon the scale 34 the extent of ingly forni the central holes in the plugs' 17. When adjustment ofA the supports 13 upon the stall' is made, the separate valve mechanisms will slide on the valve rod 23.A By turning the valve rod so as to bring the passage-18 out of register with the duct 20, the inlet to the receptacle 15 will be closed. 'A reverse movement ofthe valve rod 23` soas to bring the passage 18 into register with the duct 20, will open the receptacle 15 to the flow of oil in the tank'. After a time sufficient for the receptacle to be filled, the valves may be closed. Y

Each receptacle .`s provided with a thermometer 24 to indicate the temperature of the contents of the tank at different levels at which the samples are taken. The thermometer 24 may be positioned in the receptacle 15 by means of a light spring 25 which by expansion will engage the inside o f the .reeeptacle, and which permits easy insertion and removal. The supports 13 are each provided with a vent 26 with-which a connection leading to the atmosphere may be made, so that the air within'the receptacle may find an egress with the inflow of the oil. The receptacles 15 are readily detachable, and after the tests have been made and the samplessecured. such receptacles may be removed and set aside for analysis of their contents, and other receptacles applied to the device, which latter may be immediately used in making a.

test in another tank. t

Frictionally held upon the staff 12 by curved springs 27, so as to slide thereon, is an ullage detector positioned as shown in Fig. 1, The ullage detector comprises amederside of the shell 10 at the man-hole. The

lower end of the tube 28 is provided with a cap 30, which is bored toform a seat for a yvalve 31, formed as a tapering plug. A glass tube 32 is arranged within the metallic tube 28, the latter being provided with a sight opening 33 and a scale 34. The plug 31 is provided with a stem 35 extending through the glass tube 32 and is guided in the cap 29, from which latter it projects upwardly to a position of convenient operation. A hollow cap 36 is'screwed upon the lower end of the cap 30 and confines an expansion spring 37, the latter acting to maintain the plug 31 in its seat. A duct- 38 leading from the exterior of the cap 30 to a groove 31 in the plug, will permit passage of the oil in the tank into the glass tube 32, upon turning the valve stein 35 so as tobringthe duct and groovev into register.l The oil soadmitted will rise immediately tothe level of that in the tank, and the valve 31 is closed by turning the valve stem to disalign the'duct' and groove. The vacant space in the glass tube 32 above the sample thus' drawn, indicates after 'the lower end 'ot'y the staf hasl been placed in contact withthe bottom of the tank.

By' turning the val-ve stem 35 after inspection, the trapped sample in the'glass tubeJ 32, may be allowed to escape, and the instru ment is then ready for anothertesting operation.

The lower end of the staff is provided with a slit 39 yin which may be inserted a slip of litmus paper 40 to detectthe amount of water, if any. lying at the bottom of the tank.-

The device as a whole is light andportable,

and enables the desired tests to be efficiently made in a simple manner. mersed in the tank without agitation of the contents thereof. Details of construction maybe variously modified without departing -from the scope of the claims. The manner illustrated ofattaching the demountable receptacles 15 to their supports on the staff 12, is a convenient one. The receptacles .15 are preferably of clear glass, and their. threaded vnecks facilitate the application of sealing covers to preserve the sample contents against It may be imdisturbance or loss. The use of clear glass receptacles will allow the thermometer to be disposed within the receptacle, and permit yvisualization of what is recorded thereon.

' ceptacles for submersion in a bulk of oil to ob- In .testimony whereof, we have signedour tain samples at'dierent levels, and normally names at Milwaukee, this 2dr dayof October, y. closed valve devices associated with the sev- 1926. 'A f a' eral receptacles for permitting ow from the bulk into the receptacles, with means for op- H. C. 37C

' e'rating the valvesfin unison.v

2. A liquid testingdevice comprising a staff and a'plurality of receptacle ysupports thereon, in combination with receptacles detachablyconnected to the supports in'spaced 75 relation, `valves carried by the said supports, y land means for operating the valves, to permit iiow therethrough into the 'receptacles when the receptacles are submerged.

3. A liquid testing device comprising a f so,

stafif and Aa plurality ofreceptacle supports thereon, a plurality of detachable receptacles supported in spaced relation by the s'aid re.

" ceptacle supports for submersionina bulk of oi1 to obtain samples thereof at diii'erent l Q 35 levels, valves and operating means therefor to permit How from the bulk into-the receptacles, 'and a thermometer' supported within each receptacle to register the temperature of A the bulk at the levels from which the samples A f y 90 are taken'.

1 1. A liquid testin device comprising a 'stai and a plurality o spaced supports thereon, in combination with a plurality of def 3o tachable receptacles mounted upon the sta 95 through said supports to draw 'samples of the I i li uid at diierent levels, each such support being provided with a' valve for controlling the flow into the receptacle and also with a vent for thelatter. i 1D0 5o into chamba for indica-,ing the leverof arev `1 5. A device for testing liquid in tank cars andthe like, comprising a staff` supporting a- Yplurality of spaced receptacles 'for taklng sam'les of the bulk of liquid at different "JOHNM y 40 leve s, and means movable on the staff for def m5 termining the ullage in the sametesting operation. f

6. A device for testing liquids tank cars, comprising a stati' supporting afplurality .of spaced receptacles for taking samples of the lzn bulk of liquid at different levels, in combina` tion with' an ullage indicator supported upon'y the staff, thesaidullageindicator having a tube and means permitting. rise-of the liquid 'liquid-in the tank inthe same ltesting operation.

7. A device fortesting liquids in tank cars,-

mprising a staff supporting a plurality of' o spaced receptacles for taking samples ofthe v bulk of liquid at 'diii'erent levels, in cf'imbina'-h tion. with an ullage indicator supported upon 'the upper part of the stai and adapted to er1- j 6d gage-the'under s ide of the shelljof the tank'at' 1 5 the manhde ,f'the said detector comprising a transparent tube and a valve'at the `bottom thereof,` a nd means for operating the Said valve to permit the liquidiin the tank to seek c5 its level in the'tube, and so indinsite,tliefullage.A v 13o 

